Sophie Wilmès facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sophie Wilmès
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Official portrait, 2024
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| Vice-President of the European Parliament | |
| Assumed office 16 July 2024 |
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| President | Roberta Metsola |
| Prime Minister of Belgium | |
| In office 27 October 2019 – 1 October 2020 |
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| Monarch | Philippe |
| Deputy | Koen Geens Alexander De Croo Didier Reynders (2019) David Clarinval |
| Preceded by | Charles Michel |
| Succeeded by | Alexander De Croo |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium Minister of Foreign Affairs |
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| In office 1 October 2020 – 15 July 2022 |
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| Prime Minister | Alexander De Croo |
| Preceded by | Philippe Goffin (Foreign) David Clarinval (Deputy) |
| Succeeded by | Hadja Lahbib (Foreign) David Clarinval (Deputy) |
| Minister of Budget | |
| In office 22 September 2015 – 27 October 2019 |
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| Prime Minister | Charles Michel |
| Preceded by | Hervé Jamar |
| Succeeded by | David Clarinval |
| Member of the European Parliament for Belgium |
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| Assumed office 16 July 2024 |
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| Constituency | French-speaking electoral college |
| Member of the Chamber of Representatives | |
| In office 15 July 2022 – 9 June 2024 |
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| In office 25 May 2014 – 22 September 2015 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 January 1975 Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium |
| Political party | Reformist Movement |
| Spouse |
Chris Stone
(m. 2002; died 2023) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent | Philippe Wilmès (father) |
| Alma mater | Saint-Louis University, Brussels IHECS |
Sophie Wilmès (born 15 January 1975) is a Belgian politician. She made history as the first woman to become Prime Minister of Belgium. She served in this important role from 2019 to 2020. Later, she also became the first woman to be Belgium's Minister of Foreign Affairs, serving from 2020 to 2022. She is a member of the Reformist Movement political party.
In 2024, Sophie Wilmès was elected as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP). She now serves as one of the Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament.
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Early Life and Education
Sophie Wilmès was born in Ixelles, a town in Brussels, Belgium, on 15 January 1975. Her father, Philippe Wilmès, was a banker and a professor who was also involved in politics. Her mother had a background working in government offices. Sophie grew up in the town of Grez-Doiceau.
She studied applied communication at IHECS and also earned a degree in financial management from Saint-Louis University, Brussels. Before becoming a full-time politician, Sophie Wilmès worked for the European Commission. She was a financial officer and later an economic and financial advisor.
Political Journey
Sophie Wilmès started her political career in local government. In 2000, she became a councillor in Uccle. From 2006 to 2014, she was a senior official in Sint-Genesius-Rode, managing areas like finance and education. She also served as a provincial councillor for Flemish Brabant.
Joining the National Parliament
In October 2014, Sophie Wilmès was elected to the Chamber of Representatives. This is like the main parliament in Belgium.
Becoming Budget Minister
In September 2015, she was chosen to be the Minister of Budget. This means she was in charge of how the government spends its money. She continued in this role in different governments until 2019.
First Female Prime Minister
On 27 October 2019, Sophie Wilmès became the first woman to be the Prime Minister of Belgium. She took over from Charles Michel. At first, she led a "caretaker government." This is a temporary government that runs the country while political parties try to form a new, more permanent government.
When the COVID-19 pandemic started in March 2020, it was a very difficult time. All the main political parties agreed to give her government special powers. These powers helped her government make quick decisions to deal with the health crisis and its impact on the economy and people's lives.
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Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister
In October 2020, Sophie Wilmès took on new important roles. She became the Minister of Foreign Affairs and a Deputy Prime Minister in the government led by Alexander De Croo. This made her the first woman to be Belgium's foreign minister.
While serving as Foreign Minister, she unfortunately became sick with COVID-19. She even managed some of the country's foreign relations from her hospital bed.
In April 2022, Sophie Wilmès decided to temporarily step away from her government duties. She wanted to spend more time with her family because her husband was very ill. Her responsibilities were shared among other ministers. In July 2022, she officially resigned from the government but remained a member of parliament.
European Parliament
In June 2024, Sophie Wilmès was elected as a Member of the European Parliament. She received a very large number of votes, showing strong support from the people. On 16 July 2024, she was chosen to be one of the Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament. This means she helps lead the European Parliament, which is a very important part of the European Union.
Personal Life
Sophie Wilmès married Chris Stone, an Australian businessman, in 2002. They had three daughters together. Chris Stone also had a son from a previous relationship.
In October 2020, she announced that she had tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted to the hospital. She recovered and was released later that month.
In 2022, she took a break from her political roles to care for her husband, who was battling brain cancer. Sadly, her husband passed away in November 2023.
See also
In Spanish: Sophie Wilmès para niños
